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The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announced plans for beach restrictions to occur over the Labor Day holiday weekend throughout Santa Barbara County beaches. All beaches will be temporarily closed for stationary activities. Only immediate access to and from the ocean for water sports or beach access for active physical activity will be permitted. A Health Officer Order has been issued effective Friday, September 4 at 12:01 a.m. and continuing until Monday, September 7 at 11:59 p.m.
In addition, all Waterfront parking lots, except for Harbor Main, Launch Ramp, and Stearns Wharf, will be closed from Friday, September 4 at 2 a.m. through Tuesday, September 8 at 6 a.m.
Disease transmission rates have been consistently improving in the last few weeks yet this metric still remains above the threshold outlined by the California Department of Public Health for being removed from the County Monitoring List.
The following restrictions apply for the duration of the Health Officer Order:
- Sitting, lying, standing, sunbathing, sight-seeing, picnicking, and all other non-exercise, passive, or sedentary activities on beach parkways are prohibited.
- Items for sitting or lying on the beach are prohibited for use of possession on beaches, such as umbrellas, shade structures, tents, barbecue grills, sand or beach toys, coolers and beach chairs.
"Reduced disease transmission is critical in the fight against COVID-19. We anticipate a high volume of visitors at our beaches during the Labor Day weekend, which will impede the practice of safe and necessary social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Santa Barbara County," said Dr. Henning Ansorg. "Our community has remained diligent in their efforts and now is the time to protect all the positive outcomes we have accomplished."
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